Golf tee



June 22 1925,

1,589,494 c. P.. WARD GOLF TEE Filed June 50, 1925 10 continue PatentedJune 22, 1926 i IUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARROLL P. wARD QE MoUNT VERNON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HERMANKEOKLER, OF MOUNT VERNON, OHIO.

GOLF TEE,

Application flled June 30, 1925. Serial No. 40,652.

This invention relates to an improved designated generally by thenumeral 2, and artificial golf tee and has 'for its principal an anchoror guard 23 which is united with object the provision of an inexpensive,efthe support by means of a flexible and prefficient and durable teewhich is capable of erably elastic connection 4.

5 being readily inserted into the ground for 'Ilhe support 2 consists inthis instance f use in supporting a golf ball at a proper a circularhead 5, ordinarily formed from elevation for driving purposes and whichrubber. The upper surface of this head is when not in use may be readilycarried from concaved as indicated at 6 so as to permit place to (placeby the user for repeated and of the positioning of a ball 7 in a securei I and positive manner upon the head. Also, 65 In accordance with theinvention there 15 positioned within the head and depending rovided anartificial golf tee consisting of rigid therefrom is a wire shank orstem 8, a ball supporting member which comprises which terminates at itslower end in a pointa socketed upper surface in which a ball 1S edextremity 9, adapted to facilitate the positioned, said member beingprovided manual insertion of the shank into the 70 with a ridgedepending stem having a ground. The upper end f th h k may pointed lowerextremity to facilitate the 1nbe provided with an enlarged head 10 whichsertion of the stem in the ground so as to Is suitably embedded in thehead 5 so as to securely maintain the head of said member securely unitethe shank with said head.

in a stable ball receiving position and in By this arrangement it willbe seen that the 75 combination with this structure I provide a shankmay be forced into the ground until guard or anchor which is connectedto said substantially the lower part of the head 5 member by an elasticconnection, saidguard engages with the ground surface. This or anchorbein provided with a socket in anchors the support securely inconnection which the shan or stem of said supporting with the ground andpermits of the placing member is adapted to be positioned when the ofthe ball? on the concav'ed surface of the tee is being carried fromplace to place, the head 5, where the ball will be supported atarrangement of parts being such that when a suitable elevation above theground to perthe su porting member is inserted in the. mit of a free andunobstructed swing of a groun the guard will serve to retain the golfclub in the driving of the ball. The

supportin member in the proximity of the support ellminates the use ofthe natural layer'int eevent that the supportlng memsand tee andprovides a means of a far her is struck by the swinging of the club,more convenient nature for holding the ball and when not in use theguard will serve in a proper postion for engagement with '35 to receivethe suporting member, protect and a club head.

enclose its shank or stud and to enable the An important feature in theconstruction same to be carried readily in the pocket of of the supportdescribed is the depending the user without liabilityof loss or injuryrigid metallic shank 8 with its pointed ext th user, tremlty. Priorconstructions of this kind 40 Fo further understanding of the invenhaveused wood principally in constructing tion reference is to be had tothe' following the shank end. Wood, however, has the disdescription andthe accompanying drawings, advantage of being rather blunt, is easily ii h; broken and furthermore its diameter is such, Figure 1 is aperspective view showing the when strength is secured, to prevent theuser 45 improved artificial golf tee comprising the from readilyinserting the same into the invention in its active position, ground. Byth use f th i Shank this Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinalsecdifficulty is obviated. .However, since tees of tional view takenthrough the tee when the this kind are used repeatedly it is desirablelatter occupies an inactive position, and to provide a means to protectthe user from Fi re 3 is a transverse sectional view on physical injuryby the pointed end of the the line 3-3 of Figure 2. shank. For thisreason, and others, I em- Referring more particularly to the drawploytheguard 3. In this instance the guard ings the numeral 1 designates myimproved consists of a cylindrical preferably rubber 01f tee in itsentirety. In its preferred body 11 which has one end thereof providedorm the tee consists of a ball support, with a longitudinal and axiallyextending support from the ground, and, second, inithe event the clubstrikes the support, the'anchor ground out of the way socket 13 in whichis positioned theshank 8 of'the support when the tee is being carried orassumes an inactive position. The other end of the body 11 wasformed'with an eye 14 to which is connected one end of the elastic bandconstituting the connection 4, the other endof said connectionbeingjoined with'an eye 15 provided on thehead 5.

It will be seen that in use thesupportis insertedin the ground aspreviously related, and'the guard lies in an idle position on the of theplayer "but connected with the support by means of'the elastic band 4.When in the ball has been hit the player may readily remove the supportfrom the ground b 'v grasping the guard), possesses far more body thanthe head 15 facility is to be had in the removal of the provides arestraining influence which main-= tains the tee in the immediatevicinity of .tlu player, where it may be convenientlyreached without'searchin for it. Then, when the tee has been used and it is desired tocarry the same to the next place, the shank is .re-

moved from the ground and inserted into .the socket 13, enabling the teetobe placed in the pocket of the user without any possi bility' ofphysical injury. It will be observed that the length of the connection'4is such that when the support is connected with the anchor the elasticband will be under tension and will force on the support to securelyhold the and since the latterelastic said supporting member and capableof exercising sufiicient pressurepto prevent acci- I the stem is 7exercise suflicieni shank ofthe latter freezfrom accidental disengagement with the anchor.

What is cIaimedZis: ..l..A gol'f'tee comprisingta ball support guardaandsaid-supshank of said supporting member within said socket.

.2. A golf .tee comprising a supporting lmem er including a .rigiddepending stem this position the 1h anchor serves in a useful capacity,first,.after avingaa pointed slower extremity to faciliitate theinsertion of the stem into the ground,ca guard having an axiallongutudinally extending socket formed therein 'for the reception ofsaid stem, and a flexible connection between said guard and dentalseparation of the supporting member from the guard when .thestem ispositioned a guard having an -axial longitudinallyextending-socketjformed therein for the reception of said .stem,iandaflexible elasticconnection betweensaid guardand said supportmg membercapable of exercising suliicient pressure to prevent accidentalseparation of the supporting member from the guard when positionedwithinsaid socket.

In testimony whereof aflix my signature.

CARROLL-P. WARD.

